by Samuel E. Ward
January 9, 2011
Introduction
One time many years ago, the king of Hungary found himself depressed and unhappy. He sent for his brother, a good-natured but rather indifferent prince. The king said to him, "I am a great sinner; I fear to meet God." But the prince only laughed at him. This didn't help the king's disposition any. Though he was a believer, the king had gotten a glimpse of his guilt for the way he'd been living lately, and he seriously wanted help. In those days it was customary if the executioner sounded a trumpet before a man's door at any hour, it was a signal that he was to be led to his execution. The king sent the executioner in the dead of night to sound the fateful blast at his brother's door. The prince realized with horror what was happening. Quickly dressing, he stepped to the door and was seized by the executioner, and dragged pale and trembling into the king's presence. In an agony of terror he fell on his knees before his brother and begged to know how he had offended him. "My brother," answered the king, "if the sight of a human executioner is so terrible to you, shall not I, having grievously offended God, fear to be brought before the judgment seat of Christ?"
I. The Sad Fact that Many Do Not Fear God, Psalm 36:1-4
(Psa 36:1-4 NIV) For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. {2} For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. {3} The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. {4} Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.
A. There Is No Fear of God Before God's Eyes.
B. There Is No Sense of Sin Within Them.
C. There Is No Reason to Control His Speech or Actions.
D. There Is No Restraint from Evil in His Planning.
II. The Solemn Reasons for Reverencing God
A. There Is None More Worthy, Jer 10:7.
(Jer 10:6-7 NIV) No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. {7} Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.
1. There is no greater essence.
2. There is no greater power.
3. There is no greater wisdom.
B. There Is None More Holy Rev 15:4.
(Rev 15:2-4 NIV) And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God {3} and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. {4} Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
God is absolutely holy, i.e., undefiled in character and deed. Any other object, person, or supposed God we might be tempted to worship is either non-existent or defiled in some way. They are imperfect, tainted, not qualified or worthy to be worshiped.
C. There Is None More Forgiving, Psa 130:4.
(Psa 130:2-5 NIV) O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. {3} If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? {4} But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. {5} I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
1. God is ready to hear our cries for mercy.
2. God is ready to clear our record.
3. God is ready to forgive.
4. We are wise to trust in Him and His Word.
D. There Is None More Powerful, Josh 4:23-24.
(Josh 4:21-24 NIV) He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' {22} tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' {23} For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. {24} He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."
There is no power on earth that can touch God's people without His permission. The enemies of God's people should review the history of those who do harm to His people.
1. God promised to use His power to protect Abraham and his descendants from their enemies.
(Gen 12:2-3 NIV) "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. {3} I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
2. God promises to render justice on behalf of His people and none will escape.
(Rom 12:19 NIV) Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
(2 Th 1:4-10 NIV) Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. {5} All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. {6} God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you {7} and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. {8} He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. {9} They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power {10} on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
David McCullough in his book Mornings On Horseback tells this story about young Teddy Roosevelt: Mittie (his mother) had found he was so afraid of the Madison Square Church that he refused to set foot inside if alone. He was terrified, she discovered, of something called the "zeal." It was crouched in the dark corners of the church ready to jump at him, he said. When she asked what a zeal might be, he said he was not sure, but thought it was probably a large animal like an alligator or a dragon. He had heard the minister read about it from the Bible. Using a concordance, she read him those passages containing the word ZEAL until suddenly, very excited, he told her to stop. The line was from the Book of John, 2:17: "And his disciples remembered that it was written, 'The ZEAL of thine house hath eaten me up'" People are still justifiably afraid to come near the "zeal" of the Lord, for they are perfectly aware it could "eat them up" if they aren't one of His. Our Lord is good, but He isn't safe.
E. There Is None More Beneficent, 1 Sam 12:24.
(1 Sam 12:22-25 NIV) For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. {23} As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. {24} But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. {25} Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."
1. God keeps His own for His own Name's sake.
2. God keeps His own because it pleases Him to do so.
3. God keeps His own who reverence and serve Him.
4. God judges those who disrespect His kindness by persisting in evil.
F. He Is the Last Court of Resort, Rev 14:7.
(Rev 14:6-7 NIV) Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people. {7} He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the
springs of water."
Even in the very end of days, God's merciful gospel will be proclaimed to all in the hopes that they would accept God's offer of salvation to those who would repent.
III. The Salient Features of Godly Fear
A. Godly Fear Hates Evil, Prov 8:13.
(Prov 8:13 NIV) To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
B. Godly Fear Turns Away from Destruction, Pro 14.27.
(Prov 14:27 NIV) The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
C. Godly Fear Is Embodied in His Word, Psa 19:9.
(Psa 19:9-14 NIV) The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. {10} They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. {11} By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. {12} Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. {13} Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. {14} May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
D. Godly Fear Is the First Lesson of Wisdom, Prov 1:7.
(Prov 1:7 NIV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. 
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